At the beginning of the year after the year in which a fixed date election was held, the CEO must adjust the annual contribution limits in subsection (1) for inflation and publish the new limit.

The CEO must make the adjustment by

(a) determining the ratio between the consumer price index for the City of Winnipeg at the beginning of the 2018 calendar year and the consumer price index for the City of Winnipeg at the beginning of the calendar year for which the adjustment is made,

8 The third paragraph of the information note after subsection 52(4) is amended by striking out "outside the election period but within the year of a fixed date election" and substituting "during the pre-election period".

The number of names on the preliminary voters list under section 75 of The Elections Act is to be used to calculate the limits under sections 51 and 52 if there are more names on that list than there are on the revised or final voters lists.

10 The first paragraph of the overview to Part 8 is amended by striking out "the rest of the year in which a fixed date election is held" and substituting "the 90 days before the start of the election period of a fixed date election".

(a) in the section heading, by striking out "YEAR OF FIXED DATE ELECTION" and substituting "PRE-ELECTION PERIOD";

(b) in subsections (1) and (2),

(i) by striking out "In the year of a fixed date election, a" and substituting "A", and

(ii) by striking out "outside the election period" and substituting "during the pre-election period"; and

(c) in subsection (3),

(i) by striking out "year" and substituting "pre-election period" in the section heading, and

(ii) by striking out "the year of a fixed date election" and substituting "a pre-election period".

13 Section 59 of the English version is amended in subsection (1) and in clause (2)(b) by striking out "annual".

14(1) The table in subsection 61(1) is amended, in the third row of Column 2, by striking out "The party's financial officer (in the year of a fixed date election)" and substituting "The party's financial officer (in a pre-election period)".

4. An unaudited financial statement of the constituency association for the previous year in a form satisfactory to the CEO.

18 Subsection 68(1) is amended by adding the following after clause (b):

(b.1) in the case of a failure by a constituency association's financial officer, the registered party's financial officer;

19 The overview to Part 12 is amended by replacing the second and third paragraphs with the following:

A third party must not spend more than $25,000 on election communications in the election period for a general election or more than $100,000 in the 90-day period before the start of the election period for a fixed date election. A third party must not spend more than $5,000 in the election period for a by-election.

A third party must identify itself in any election communication it makes. Once a third party spends $2,500 on election communications, it must register with the CEO, appoint a financial officer and make a financial report to the CEO.

If election communication expenses of a third party are incurred with the knowledge and consent of a registered party, those expenses are considered to be advertising expenses of the registered party.

(a) in the definition "election communication expense", by striking out ", before or during an election period,"; and

(b) by replacing the definition "election communication" with the following:

"election communication" means a communication during an election period or a pre-election period of a message that promotes or opposes a registered party or the election of a candidate, including one that takes a position on an issue with which a registered party or candidate is associated. (« communication électorale »)

A third party must not incur election communication expenses of more than $25,000 for election communications in the election period for a general election.

(2) — Spending limit for pre-election period

A third party must not incur election communication expenses of more than $100,000 for election communications in a pre-election period.

(3) — Spending limit for by-elections

A third party must not incur election communication expenses of more than $5,000 for election communications in the election period for a by-election or in the election period for multiple by-elections that have the same election day.

(4) — Inflation adjustment

At the beginning of the year after the year in which a fixed date election was held, the CEO must adjust the limits set out in subsections (1), (2) and (3) for inflation and must publish the new limit. The adjustment must be made in the same manner as the adjustment made under subsection 34(1.1).

If a third party incurs election communication expenses with the knowledge and consent of a registered party, those expenses are considered to be advertising expenses of the registered party under Parts 7 and 8.

"Internet" includes other methods of electronic communication. (« Internet »)

"pre-election advertising expenses" means the advertising expenses incurred by a registered party or candidate that are subject to the limits established in section 58. (« période préélectorale »)

"pre-election period" means the 90-day period before the start of the election period of a fixed date election. (« période préélectorale »)

(c) by replacing the definition "volunteer labour" with the following:

"volunteer labour" means a service provided free of charge by an individual and in respect of which the person receives no compensation, directly or indirectly, for providing the services or for the time spent providing it. (« travail bénévole »)

Coming into force

30 This Act comes into force three months after the day it receives royal assent.

Explanatory Note

This Bill makes several amendments to The Election Financing Act.

Significant amendments to the rules governing contributions include the following:

The annual contribution limit for individuals is increased from $3,000 to $5,000, and is indexed for inflation.

All fees paid to attend a political party conference or convention, including a leadership convention, are now considered to be contributions.

A self-employed person is no longer considered to be making a contribution if they volunteer services for which they normally charge.

Cash contributions are limited to $25 or less.

Significant amendments to the rules governing advertising by candidates and political parties and communications made by third parties include the following:

Advertising expense limits that previously applied to candidates and political parties during the year of a fixed date election (outside the election period) now apply to the 90-day period before the election period of a fixed date election.

The definition "election communication" that applies to third parties is expanded to include communications about issues associated with a political party or a candidate.

Promotional materials such as signs and banners are no longer treated as election communication expenses for third parties or as advertising expenses for political parties.

The limits on third party spending for election communications is $25,000 during the election period for a general election, $100,000 during the 90-day period before the election period of a fixed-date election, and $5,000 for a by-election. These limits are indexed for inflation.

In addition, the number of names on the preliminary voters list (not the voter list from the previous general election) is to be used to determine the minimum election expense limits for candidates and parties. Constituency associations are now required to file unaudited financial statements with the Chief Electoral Officer.